Jan Koba, the driving force behind the bike brand of the same name, took office for the first time in 2012 as the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of bicycles and accessories. Until the end of 2011, Koba had a dual role: the former professional road cyclist acted as managing director of his own specialist store in Buchs and also managed all areas relating to the development, testing and sale of his own bikes. On January 1, 2012, Koba withdrew from the day-to-day operations of the bike store and sold this division to his former deputy Ralph Kaufmann.

Now Koba is consistently implementing his promise to concentrate on the development of his own bike brand. A wave of innovation already swept through the Swiss bike manufacturer's range for the 2012 season. A new 29er hardtail made of carbon and aluminum was added, and the proven cross-country fully "Sentiero" was put on larger wheels. Now 27.5-inch bikes are being added for the 2013 season:

650b Enduro
After test rides with the new 27.5-inch fully, Koba says: "The 27.5-inch wheels don't feel as sluggish as the 29er, you almost feel like you're on a 26er. The advantages when rolling over obstacles are not as great as with the 29er, but they are still noticeable. You don't notice the inertia of the larger wheels at all. The bike also feels manageable when jumping, very similar to a 26-inch bike."

The "650b Enduro" is currently still in the prototype stage, but in this state the bike comes with 160 millimeters of travel at the rear and front, a dropper seat post, Notubes rims, an XX groupset, Crank Brothers pedals and in-house attachments with a moderate total weight of 12.7 kilograms. The 650b enduro will be available from Koba dealers for the first time at the beginning of March 2013.

650b hardtail
The Buchs-based bike manufacturer is also presenting a carbon hardtail in the intermediate wheel size. As part of the custom-made range, the customer is free to choose all components, brake/gear groups and wheels. Equipped with Magura MT8 stoppers, XTR groupset, Crank Brothers pedals and a wheelset with Notubes rims and DT Swiss hubs, the new hardtail weighs in at 8.78 kilograms. This bike will be available for the first time in February 2013.

The geometry of the 650b hardtail has a longer top tube than its in-house counterpart with 26-inch wheels, which is why the manufacturer recommends a shorter stem. The longer top tube also ensures a longer wheelbase, which makes the bike easier to control on fast descents. Koba explains his new creation: "The rear wheel has more grip than the 26er, but slightly less than the 29er. On descents and steep descents, the bike feels very manageable and the steering forces are lower than on the 29er. My conclusion: the 27.5 inch wheel size is perfect for riders with a height of 165-177 centimeters."

Lots of cash for the cross-country trail
Until now, Koba had relied exclusively on aluminum for the full suspension bike. This is now changing completely with the new model: the 29er carbon model "Big Sentiero S6" will be available for the 13er season and for the first time in February 2013. This frame - available in sizes 45, 50 and 55 centimetres - provides 100 millimetres of suspension travel on both axles and offers high-modulus carbon fibres as far as the eye can see. Even the rocker arm from the top tube to the lower shock linkage is made from the composite fiber material.

At 10.6 kilos, the scales stop remarkably early on this cross-country full-suspension bike, with a complete XTR groupset, suspension elements from Fox and a Notubes wheelset contributing to the low overall weight. Koba comments on the new carbon bike: "The bike climbs excellently and you also appreciate the larger wheel diameter on the descents. You ride over gullies as if nothing was in the way. Thanks to the very low overall weight, you don't even notice that you're riding a 29er - except that the bike is a little slower to steer than a 26er. You can easily counteract this feeling with a wider handlebar".

www.koba.ch